HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05-26 Item 10 - Written Communications - Fege - Added 5/26/2020 Written Communications
Item # /0 Name
Sheree Kansas
Subject: FW:Tree maintenance as essential service--for healthy trees, reduced liabilities and
climate action--see letter from Urban Forests Council
Attachments: SDRUFC_Tree Maintenance_Ltr to Cities_26may20.pdf
From:Anne Fege< >
Sent:Tuesday, May 26, 2020 8:04 AM
To:CityClerk<CityClerk@chulavistaca.gov>; mchalas@chulavista.gov;John McCann<imccann@chulavistaca.gov>;Jill
Galvez<imgalvez@chulavistaca.gov>; Steve C. Padilla <spadilia @chulavistaca.gov>; Mike Diaz
<mdiaz@chulavistaca.gov>; Gary Halbert<GHalbert@chulavistaca.gov>; Maria Kachadoorian
<mkachadoorian@chulavistaca.gov>; Mike Leake<MLea ke@chulavistaca.gov>;Quito Barajas
<QBaraias@chulavistaca.gov>; solundunfeCc@chulavistaca.gov;Wayne Zarling<wzarling@chulavistaca.gov>
Subject:Tree maintenance as essential service--for healthy trees, reduced liabilities and climate action--see letter from
Urban Forests Council
Warning:
External To Mayor Mary Casillas Salas,Councilmembers,City Manager,and Chula Vista city staff.
Email Chula Vista's trees are valued assets,as you well know,and will require continuing investments in tree
maintenance as an essential service. As budgets are adjusted for declining revenues,the San Diego
Regional Urban Forests Council urges you to continue tree maintenance programs to maintain healthy trees,
protect public safety,reduce liabilities and lawsuits, increase tree canopy,and buffer future environmental crises.
Tree maintenance keeps trees healthy and reduces city liabilities.
• Healthy trees are essential public assets. Like all City assets,they require regular maintenance. If cities fail
to follow tree industry maintenance schedules (7 to 10 years),their liabilities multiply from damage to
property or life. Lawsuits and settlement payments can dwarf any reductions in annual maintenance
budgets.
• Routine tree pruning identifies and removes high risk trees and branches,lengthens tree life,addresses
infrastructure conflicts when they are small,and reduces tree failures. Palm trimming removes the fruit
and fronds that create risks for fires,trips,and falls.
• Healthy trees can better resist drought and such pests as the gold spotted oak borer and shot hole borer.
Weakened trees are at risk during storms and high winds. Mortality is increasing from the South American
Palm Weevil,and dead Canary Island date palms need to be removed.
Trees cool cities,as climate changes accelerate.
• Maintaining existing healthy trees and planting new trees are essential investments in climate adaptation
and carbon sequestration. Trees are affordable and amazing ways to cool neighbor-hoods,provide wildlife
habitat,absorb stormwater and urban pollutants,and offer co-benefits.
• Tree planting is an important component of most Climate Action Plans,and tree maintenance is one of the
most cost effective investments in climate action and climate plan implementation.
Trees will buffer the next healthy and environmental crisis.
• This is not the time to disregard the nature that sustains us.Covid-19 is showing us how quickly health and
economic impacts can result from natural causes—and climate impacts are already upon us even if
generally unnoticed.The next natural disaster may seem like another surprise,but healthy trees will be
resilient and need to be there to serve San Diegans.
• The pandemic has highlighted inequity in disadvantaged communities. They are more vulnerable to health
and economic impacts and less prepared than advantaged communities. Disadvantaged communities
I
typically have low tree canopy coverage. Increasing tree plantings in these areas can positively impact
health and bring socio-economic benefits to these—and all—communities.
Aw S. 57ege, Ir-�t.D.
Executive Committee,San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council
2
San Diego Regional Urban Forests Council
.....a member driven coalition of agencies,businesses and educators SQ+� D I goo
working to improve our urban forest assets.
www.sdrufc.com v
C =-<
Regional Council of the California Urban Forests Council #'G�
PO Box 823, Novato, CA 94948 a ac`t
BAN F0
SDRUFC
May 26, 2020
Open letter to Mayors,Councilmembers, City Departments, and Community Leaders:
Subject: Tree Maintenance is an Essential Service
In adjusting municipal budgets to declining revenues,the San Diego Regional Urban Forests
Council urges you to continue tree maintenance programs to maintain healthy trees,protect
public safety,reduce liabilities and lawsuits,and increase tree canopy.
Tree maintenance keeps trees healthy and reduces city liabilities.
Healthy trees are essential public assets. Like all City assets,they require regular maintenance. If
cities fail to follow tree industry maintenance schedules (7 to 10 years),their liabilities multiply
from damage to property or life. Lawsuits and settlement payments can dwarf any reductions in
annual maintenance budgets.
Routine tree pruning identifies and removes high risk trees and branches,lengthens tree life,
addresses infrastructure conflicts when they are small,and reduces tree failures. Palm trimming
removes the fruit and fronds that create risks for fires,trips,and falls.
Healthy trees can better resist drought and such pests as the gold spotted oak borer and shot hole
borer.Weakened trees are at risk during storms and high winds. Mortality is increasing from the
South American Palm Weevil,and dead Canary Island date palms need to be removed.
Trees cool cities,as climate changes accelerate.
Maintaining existing healthy trees and planting new trees are essential investments in climate
adaptation and carbon sequestration. Trees are affordable and amazing ways to cool neighbor-
hoods,provide wildlife habitat,absorb stormwater and urban pollutants,and offer co-benefits.
Tree planting is an important component of most Climate Action Plans,and tree maintenance is
one of the most cost effective investments in climate action and climate plan implementation.
Trees will buffer the next healthy and environmental crisis.
This is not the time to disregard the nature that sustains us. Covid-19 is showing us how quickly
health and economic impacts can result from natural causes—and climate impacts are already
upon us even if generally unnoticed.The next natural disaster may seem like another surprise,but
healthy trees will be resilient and need to be there to serve San Diegans.
The pandemic has highlighted inequity in disadvantaged communities. They are more vulnerable
to health and economic impacts and less prepared than advantaged communities. Disadvantaged
communities typically have low tree canopy coverage. Increasing tree plantings in these areas can
positively impact health and bring socio-economic benefits to these—and all—communities.
Awvt.,- 'a gi�v
Anne S. Fege,Ph.D., MBA, Executive Committee Member,